Life of Selina
by Exalted Jade
Summary: Set in the world of Exalted.  The first few chapters take place during and after the Primordial War.  Through the First Age.  And then ending at the Usurptation.  I rated it M for possible future battle scenes.
1. The War and after

1It was the in the middle of the First Era of the First Age of the Deliberative's control over all of Creation. The great gathering of the Celestial Exalted took place in the newly built Senate building where all of the Celestial Exalted could cast their opinion in the voting process that controlled the fate of Creation. This is a time before the Great Curse broke the minds of the Celestial Exalted, before terrible crimes where committed by the Solars and other Exalted.

Our tale begins before the time of the Solar rule. It was a time when the titanic Primordial's still shook Creation with their passing. Unlike the histories taught by the Exalted this why not truly a terrible time for anyone to live in. Dangerous, but every age as its dangers, some more present than in others. Creation was at its largest, many times larger than even the Solar's would later reclaim with their reality engines. Floating distant in the heavens above, a sight lost after the defeat of the Primordial's. Where 26 large moon like objects, for they where the bodies of the mighty Primordial's. Kept safe from harm.

There where two suns that competed for dominance in the sky. The warm and golden light of the Unconquered Sun. And the pale light of Leiger whose power revealed many things to the Primordial's. For Creation had many wonders the Exalted eliminated so no one would remember the Primordial's in anyway but the way the Exalted would desire them to. Manses of incalculable beauty and some of horror dotted the landscape of the world. Plants and animals roamed the wild places that have become long extinct remaining only in the shadows of the Ebon Dragon.

She was a young girl who lived in the city of Vyra's Tear. The city was located in the northern reached of Creation. Built by humans with the aide of the northern Dragon-Kings. Its buildings had an almost organic beauty to them. The streets winded gently amongst the buildings of stone and crystal. They treated with the gods and the sub-souls of the Primordial's. And it is here where our story truly begins. The child was born to parents skilled in architecture and geomancy. They where taught by the Dragon-Kings to better aide their fellow humans, lessening their reliance on the Dragon-Kings who ruled the 4 directions of Creation.

They named her Selina. Her beauty was such that it was considered unrivaled in the mortal world. With long flowing hair of the purest white. Eyes of such purity that held the capacity to do many great things. Skin that was flawless as freshly fallen snow upon the plains of the north. But not only did she have the looks but she was very intelligent. Quickly learning all the skills her parents could teach her at a young age. She attended the human run Academy of Geomantic Science in her home city. She impressed her Dragon-King teachers and would eventually go on to attract even the sub-soul of a mighty Primordial.

Such was her devotion and love of Geomancy to keep Creation running smoothly. And to ensure the health of all living things. That she attracted the attention of Jarvalya, She Who Cradles the World. A sub-soul of the Primordial Cytherea who with the assistance of Gaia created all of existence. It was under this tutelage that her knowledge reached the limits of what a human could possibly learn. By the time she was in her 20s she had already aided the Primordial-Born to honor their patrons with mighty Temple-Manses. So respected was she that she was allowed to step foot upon the Blessed Isle and converse with the greatest builders amongst the gods. And it was during this time that the Celestial Incarna plotted.

They could not do this alone so they enlisted the help of Autocthon who would construct for them mighty warriors who would do the impossible. Kill what could not be killed. While Selina was at the Blessed Isle she was gifted with the presence by the Unconquered Sun. They spoke at length, he recognized in her a drive to succeed and to be perfect in all that she would do. He spoke to her about how she could learn even more. To live longer so that she could accomplish many things she would not be able to do as a mere human. Not knowing what else would be required of her, she accepted the offer. And she became one of the first Solar Exalted. Hidden from view of the Primordial's by what she had become.

She was told to continue her work. To get closer to the Primordial's to learn all that she could. She was not alone in this. Many who had been Exalted where placed in these positions so they would be close for when the hammer stroke fell. Her tutor was amazed that she could continued to learn. To grow and understand things she did not know before. But she did not piece it together. For they did not expect anything could bring down the Primordial's. Only when she did not die of age did they begin to wonder. But in this time, such a long age was not uncommon for many beings could gift a mortal human with a longer life span. So perhaps somewhere in the past, for the things she has done, was she rewarded.

But it was during the holy time. The memorial for when the Primordial's first shaped Creation. All of Creation was celebrating. And it was this time that the Incarna chose to unleash their Exalted warriors. While all the attention was diverted their armies slipped into position. Assassins readied their blades. And then the hammer stroke fell. In the opening moments of the conflict several of the Primordial's where crippled at the loss of their powerful sub-souls. Many where in shock they where wounded so, and on such a momentous day. Many of the Exalted did not share the experiences of Selina. They did not fell a close bound to anything the Primordial's, or their creations had built.

For some it was horror made real. So much death as entire forests, continents and species where burned away. The Golden Forest of Light, a wonder of the Primordial Age lost when a Solar general and his Dragon-Blooded army ambushed a sub-soul of a Primordial. The land, seas and skies became polluted with essence and death. To Selina who had spent her life ensuring that life itself would continue saw this as a terrible crime. And she began to record all that was lost in the war. From plants and animals. To the wonders of a dying age. She spoke with the dying behemoth Kavaral the Water Bearer who carried the first drops of water to the living things in Creation. Its wounds where many and terrible caused by the claws of many Lunar Exalted. The Behemoth shared with her its experiences, its joys and its fears. And it urged her not to forgot as it finally passed on. Honoring it a beautiful ceremony it would not raise again as a Hekatonkhire.

She had played her part in this war and she did not fell good about it. She betrayed those who had shown her trust, who taught and guided her. Long before the Creation bound gods noticed. She had given them information they used against the ones who shaped Creation. Though perhaps her worst memory that followed her to her death.

The death of the first Primordial. Its sub-souls where slain. Its fetich soul murdered. Its body began to die. High above in the heavens all those in Creation could not help but watch. For this moment in time, there was no fighting. They all watched as the deathless began to die. It was slow at first as the moon shaped body began to darken. Its health and life draining from its image. Then slowly cracks formed on its surface and with each beat of its dying heart burst the life giving essence in macabre geysers. Parts began to cave in as the sphere shaped buckled under its death spasms. As it collapsed it fell upon creation. And in that moment there was no sound. A pause of breath across Creation as to what was going to happen next.

And then Creation itself buckled and Gaia cried out in pain. The cycle of life and death has been broken. The dead body of the Primordial was drawn into a new place that never existed before. A place that would become the Underworld and the silent halls of the dead. As it's body fell to final oblivion it stopped. Teetering above its final desire a painless death. It's body broken and misshapen coalesced around its dead heart. And it became a shadow of what it once was, the tomb-body. Its prison made of its own form. Trapped within its own coils it could not free itself to die. And its mind began to fade. So tired, so weak. Just to close its eyes only for a moment. And in that moment its tomb-body was sealed. And nothing will be heard from it for a thousand years.

This would happen again 6 more times. With each death all would turn their gaze to the heavens. As another of the Primordial's was cast down. And with each death Gaia wept for the passing of her sibling. And Selina recorded all that was lost from each death. By the end of the war Creation was different. It had become a alien place. So many wonders lost. So much death. But Creation was theirs now. And they could do with it as they pleased.

So Selina returned to the ruins of her home. To rebuild. And to reflect.


	2. The First Age

1In the immediate years that followed the Primordial War Creation had become a violent and dangerous place. Quakes shook the ground and toppled what was left of the cities and forests. Fires raged across the face of Creation uncontrollably as more plants and animals where lost to the inferno's. The tides raced in washing away all that stood in their path. If Creation looked alien and barren, then so to did the sky. Gone where the world-bodies of the Primordial's. Gone was the green sun whose light revealed much to the Primordial's and their creations.

The sky was streaked with black veins and blood red clouds. For all to see the murder that had taken place. For long years the gods and the Exalted fought to regain control of Creation that seemed intent on destruction. It was with the aide of Gaia and Autochthon the Gods and the Exalted brought Creation under their control. In time the storms and quakes stopped. The sky cleared and the warming light of the sun was visible once again for all of Creation to see. It was these times, when Creation bled and wept at the loss of the Primordial's. That the Gods and Exalted wanted everyone to forget. Such a good job they did, that even later generations of Exalted did not truly know what happened after the war.

Selina had returned to the place of her birth almost 4 centuries before. It was a lot different now. The once majestic towers and domed observatories where broken and toppled. The streets where littered with debris and the dead. The land was broken and scarred, unable to grow much food at all. But there was still a dim ray of hope that life would continue in this place. Life would go on, Creation would heal. And all the things that existed before, where forgotten and lost by those that came after.

What they did not know at the time was that this cycle would repeat itself. The rebellion, the war, and all the dying was imprinted into Creation. Each turning of the wheel would be the result of a disastrous conflict. As the lesser would overwhelm the greater. Bringing about a new diminished age. An age in which the glories of the past where washed away. But for now the Exalted reveled in their new found empire that spanned Creation.

In the beginning of the First Age not even the Solar Exalted dared approach the borders of Creation. The intense inferno ravaged Creation. The flames of that even still smoldered. And it was for that reason that even the Fair Folk did not invade. The fires of the Primordial would overwhelm them and they would be lost. And so the Solar's would begin the rebuilding. And Selina took little interest in the affairs of the Deliberative. Her tasks have been what they always where. To ensure the survival of Creation.

Using her powerful charms, artifacts and knowledge she began to reshape the area around her home city. Redirecting the healing dragon-lines over the torn landscape. The deep scars closed with fresh earth and pools of water. The wind scattered the pollen and seeds bringing new lift to the area. All the while she was directing the rebuilding of her city. To once again have the flows of essence pass easily through the city. The oldest buildings, built by the Dragon-Kings survived mostly intact and with her knowledge built them into powerful manses and factories that would make the lives of her people easier.

But one thing she missed was the conversations with her Dragon-King friends and companions. She searched the highest mountains and found only empty and broken cities. So much death had gripped the northern species. Their numbers pushed so very low. She found much knowledge and lore and sent it back to her city to be housed in the library she had built in memory of all that was lost. In all of her searching she found only a few thousand where their where once millions. When she found survivors she would sent them to one city where they could regroup and uncover all that they lost.

She realized this was the case for all of the Dragon-Kings. And for a few years during the rebuilding process she traveled across Creation searching and looking for survivors. For they remembered her from the time before the First Age and she listened to them then. As she did now. And she earned their respect and gratitude for all that she was doing. It was in Rathess where she found the largest number of survivors. She spoke to them at length for this was their last great city. And one that would slowly decline as the First Age went on. Despite their steady decline she kept in contact with them and they helped her.

Anything that drew her attention away from home. Regardless of all far she traveled she always returned home. And it was this time that she spent learning more than she had. It was in the early years when she learned that one of her Solar sisters had returned with the power of sorcery. She decided to invite her sister Brigid to her city. She held a grand party for her, knowing before that Brigid had few friends amongst the Exalted and she often felt sorry for her as she was given very little respect. It was because of their earlier friendship that she was one of the first to learn sorcery from Brigid.

It was through these initiation that the full weight of everything that she had witnessed was brought down upon her. It forced her to confront her inborn fears and inhibitions. It was these initiations that freed her of the guilt from the Primordial War. Though she felt sorry for all that was lost she would never hold it against herself. And with sorcery the evolution of her city of learning grew remarkably fast. Sorcery was used to help influence geomancy. To help build manses.

It was also sorcery that would initially sow the seeds to the end of Solar rule. It was through sorcery that she was able to contact the banished Primordial's and now their demonic spawn. She contacted Jarvalya who was twisted by pain and suffering. She felt the murder of Cytherea's soul to twist her into shape that would fit within Malfeas. In her pain and sorrow Cytherea withdrew herself to the deepest regions of their prison. Their first contact was tense. Jarvalya remembered her keenly.

"Please understand this Jarvalya. It was not my intention for all this to happen. I was asked to send them information about what I learned. If I had known what they where planning. It was my loyalty and love to Cytherea and to Gaia. I wanted to protect all living things. Like you taught me" Selina had not spoken of how she felt about the Primordial War. Keeping it bottled up until now.

"You would dare speak of suffering and pain? You think everything you have felt could compare to the pain we have felt? Do you not know what was done to us when we surrendered to you and the Gods?" Her eyes once held the power of life and Creation.. But now her eyes held only pain and suffering. To see her former mentor like this only hurt Selina more. The true extent of the betrayal was made real to her.

"No I do not know what was done. I was not their at the surrender. I was with the dying Kavaral during that time." It was during this conversation that her sympathy for all that was happened. Would be eventually used against her. The Primordial's where not as they once where. They where filled with pain, hate and the desire to corrupt all that was once theirs. Though from the way Selina considered it. She was trying to further ease what was on her mind and weighed upon her soul.


	3. A meeting in Malfeas

1"Come with me. I want to show you all that we have become. Even in this short time we are so different than what we once where" The demon kept her eyes upon Selina. Piercing her into her soul.

"Yes I will go. Show me. Perhaps there will be something that I shall do to help. I was taught geomancy from you after all" Selina held out her hand to the demon who would take it.

They vanished from the inner chamber of Selina's manse-palace. Crossing the Endless Desert instantly they arrived in the Demon City itself. They stood atop one of the spires of black twisted stone that arched. The balcony was on the downward point. What Selina witnessed shook her completely. Images that would never leave her mind for the rest of her long Exalted life.

Creation was a place of order and harmony. Flows of essence regulated everything and the Exalted ensured nothing disrupted the processes of Creation. A blend of the organic and the machines built by the hands of men. In one of these worlds that a primordial would become, is one of machines, brass and shadows. But Malfeas was a place of organic architecture, living buildings and alien landscapes. The city of demons was made from parts of not only Malfeas but the other Yozi in new forms of geomancy.

As Selina gazed upon the remarkable nature of the demon realm Jarvalya would speak "When we surrendered to the gods terrible crimes where committed to get us forced within our new prison" She motioned to the massive ribs that towered in the distance. So great was the distance between them that entire worlds could pass between them. They met high above them. In the green lit sky was the massive spine of the Primordial form. Just as Autochthon would have a pole of metal from which mortals would live. So did Malfeas have a mighty hollow chamber which would hold his brethren and their demon spawn "Severeal of Malfeas's souls where murdered. Those that defined the nature of how his body worked. That process nearly killed Malfeas. This empty space was hallowed out with their deaths."

Selina would lean out over the rail looking down at the city and then to its surroundings. Palaces lined the streets. Massive buildings that would dwarf even those located within Meru. Hanging gardens with plants now extinct in Creation. But the Demon Realm was not totally barren. So many species soared through the skies, lived on the outskirts of the city. They crawled through the sands of the endless desert. As Selina watched in the distance she saw mighty hulking forms "Many of the Behemoths we created have been banished with us. Some where created during the war to fight. Others where blueprints that would later become the species that roam Creation" Jarvalya spoke from behind her.

"All of this is so amazing. What of the others?" Her voice was quiet. It was these experiences that she would begin the outline on a book that would become one of the most feared in Existence. The Broken Winged Crane.

"Cycelene became the boundary to our prison. From the edge of the city stretching out until the very edge of existence. She was always one for boundaries and the limits to what could be done. She governed what made Creation different from the Wyld. But the process of the prison binding changed her. And what she found at the edge of existence she does not speak of. We only rarely here from her now. She has become dedicated to learning what is out there."

Selina would glance over her shoulder as Jarvalya stood behind her. One of the demons arms slipped about her waist "This takes me back. To the first time we constructed a new manse" She closed her eyes a moment. She did not think she would ever get to feel this again. She truly loved her Lunar mate, but Jarvalya was the first being she ever allowed herself to love "And of the others?"

"Adjoran was once the River of All Torments. But what was not realized by the Gods or the mortal species. Was that her purpose was great. All of the negative actions caused by primordial, god, or mortal where caught up in the Rivers. They where consumed by Adjoran to keep them from pooling in Creation. Look at this place. Look at the demon realm. Without the River of All Torments, all the pain, all the suffering. The torture, the rape. The plots of revenge and murder cannot be washed away. They pool in places and corrupt this realm further. Many of the demons have given in to it. But others still struggle to maintain what we once where. Not allowing the gods the satisfaction to see us debase ourselves."

"Which one are you?" She asked softly. Turning more to face the demon who would slip her other arm around Selina's waist as they stood on the balcony within the demon realm.

"I struggle to maintain what I once was. But the pain and suffering I felt. And what I can feel from the others is overwhelming at times. But Cytherea as handled the shift better than Adjoran or Malfeas. And it is her resolute strength that keeps me from becoming what the gods what us to be.. Monsters. The further we fall, the more easy it becomes for their justification of the war" She would pull Selina close to her. For the ways of the demons where subtle, through manipulation and trickery.

"It pleases me to know that you remain strong despite all that has happened. Perhaps I can find a way to restore the rivers..." Before she could finish Jarvalya placed a finger against her lips.

"Continue to listen. There is so much more for you to know. When this tale is over, then chose if you want to aide us or to leave this place. The Ebon Dragon's shadows are different than the darkness Cycelene has witnessed at the edge of existence. His shadow contains all that has become extinct. And all that will never exist now. Before the death of my cousins. The order of Creation remained unbroken. Life and death followed each other in perfect harmony. As a soul died it was purified through one of the Primordial's." Jarvalya caught the look of surprise on Selina's face and would chuckle softly.

"Yes that is right. As each soul died a Primordial took up into their divine world bodies. They used the soul energy collected over a lifetime to supplement the prayers of Creation. And it also served to give the soul a clean slate in each new life. Without the Primordial's now, the renewing process is flawed. Souls can catch glimpses of past lives. Over hundreds of lifetimes how much do you think a frail mortal soul will bare?"

"I do shudder to think of all the ramifications. Things that no one could know. Or would want to know. They where all to consumed with the prize at the end. To consider all of the potential faults of what was being done. And now I fear we have doomed us all... Creation is dying. And they do not even realize it."

They spoke for what seemed like days on end. But yet the position of the green sun never changed in the demon sky. As their conversation was drawing to a close Selina would stand upon her tippy toes and brushed a kiss against the lips of a demon. For Jarvalya such a simple gesture, for the briefest moment in time had caused all the hate, the pain, suffering and torment to vanish. She was whole for the duration of the kiss. As Selina stepped away she smiled and vanished. For those born to Creation could easily return to Creation.

- - - - -

After Selina vanished Jarvalya would laugh softly. She was pulled instantly through the Demon Realm. To a massive dome a mile high made of the bodies of the Yozi. A twisted mockery of the Jade Pleasure Dome. This was the Dome of Torments, the seat of the Yozi council. She stood in a pit looking up at the manifestations of the Primordial's themselves.

The general Malfeas stood silently. His mighty form devoid of flesh. His armor was his bones pushed out from beneath the muscles. His eyes burned with the hatred of all things. Beside him was Cycelene. She was tall and wrapped in a shroud. Beneath the hood was an empty blackness, so cold, so empty. Also present was the Ebon Dragon. Coils of shadow ground against each other. Occasionally as the coils parted far enough three red eyes where seen from their depths.

"It is done. The seeds of deceit have been planted. With careful tending they will blossom and she will become a servant of the Demon Realm. With each passing year she will fall deeper into our control and will not realize it. She is bound by a sense of duty and responsibility for what was done. I plan to use that against. And then she will join us and then she will truly know what suffering is."

The assembled Yozi would nod their heads. It was the aspect of the Ebon Dragon that spoke. His voice so very quiet. A whisper present at the extinction of a species "You have done well. Continue to exploit this source. Find a way to break this prison and your reward will be great." And with that the aspects of the Yozi would vanish and Jarvalya was sent back to that balcony.

She would lean out over the balcony "The things I do. Torn between what I was and what I am becoming. These choices we make effect the destiny of millions" Yes the higher demon souls had the full range of emotions and thought. They operated on a different level than mortals. But they where still there to a greater degree. It was the Primordial's experience through their sub-souls that gave the mortal species the capability to feel at all.

- - - - -

Selina would reappear in the ceremonial chamber of her manse-palace. It felt disconcerting to cross the boundary between different worlds of existence. She felt numb, out of touch with Creation. As she approached the doors they would open into the grand hallway. She knew she was the first Solar to enter the bounds of the Demon Realm. To gaze at the defeated Primordial's. To speak with a demon of the third circle. As she stumbled down the hall her Lunar mate was there to help her up.

"What happened in there? You seem so weak" The Lunar was known as Heart-of-Light. She was a well known Priestess of Luna "You should not go in their alone. What if something where to happen to you. I don't think I could wait till your next incarnation" Helping her towards their bedroom which was a beautiful domed room. Their bed was quite large and in the center. Helping Selina lay down upon it, Heart moved over to the controls to the walls and had them dim darkening the room so Selina could rest.

Heart would move back to their bed and laid down beside Selina "If something happened to you I do not think I could stand to be alone" She put her hands on her stomach. Selina would put her hand of Heart's and smiled knowingly "Yes it worked, I am pregnant" She leaned up and kissed Selina "Your lips taste different.. And you have a perfumed scent on you. And its not perfume you or I use. What did you do...?" She narrowed her eyes slightly...


End file.
